The Travel Business Unpacked

Welcome to The Travel Business Unpacked, the podcast by Gifted Travel Network, the premier host agency for luxury travel advisors. Hosted by Meredith Calloway, this podcast is your gateway to discovering how to turn a love for travel into a thriving career. Explore inspiring stories, expert insights, and proven strategies for building a sustainable and lucrative travel business. Whether you're dreaming of making a career leap or seeking fresh ideas to grow your existing travel venture, this is the podcast for you! Learn more about Gifted Travel Network: https://www.giftedtravelnetwork.com/

The Travel Business Unpacked is a society podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 86 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Travel Business Unpacked, a society show with 86 episodes published.

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  The Travel Business Unpacked

  Lisa VanBuhler on Painting the Perfect Travel Masterpiece for Every Client

  Aug 17, 202646 min

  This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Lisa VanBuhler of XOOM Tours, a longtime Gifted Travel Network member who has built a thriving luxury travel business from an unconventional start in student and group travel. Lisa shares how her background in education led her to planning trips for students, eventually serving groups of up to 250 people, and how that experience became the foundation for her transition into luxury travel. At the heart of her approach is a simple but powerful belief: every client’s trip is a blank canvas. By listening closely, drawing on her deep destination knowledge, and working with trusted travel partners, Lisa creates highly personalized experiences designed around each individual traveler. Meredith and Lisa also explore how Lisa turned the uncertainty of the pandemic into an opportunity to bring people together through virtual destination experiences, why there is always a way to serve a client regardless of their budget, and how thoughtfully curated travel can become something much more meaningful than simply a vacation. Her story is a reminder that the skills you already have may be more transferable than you realize, and that passion, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning can become powerful assets in building a travel business. Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-Chap7 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx - ️ XOOM Tours Website: https://xoomtours.com/ Lisa's LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/zyje3472

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  The Travel Business Unpacked

  Keely Culpepper on Creating Experiences That Keep Clients Coming Back

  Aug 10, 202644 min

  This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, Meredith Calloway is joined by Keely Culpepper, founder of Blue Venture Travel, to talk about building a travel business around exceptional client experiences and lasting relationships. Keely shares her journey from the corporate world to travel entrepreneurship and how focusing on thoughtful, personalized service has helped her build a business driven by repeat clients and referrals. She talks about the importance of creating an experience that goes beyond simply planning a great trip, with the goal of leaving clients excited about where they’ll go next. Meredith and Keely also discuss the role of attention to detail, strong systems, industry relationships, and the patience it takes to build momentum in a travel business. Throughout the conversation, Keely offers an honest look at what it takes to build trust with clients, create memorable experiences, and turn those relationships into a sustainable business. - Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx ️ Blue Venture Travel: https://blueventuretravel.com/

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  The Travel Business Unpacked

  The Power of Mentorship in Building a Travel Business with Meghann Bjarnesen

  Aug 3, 202651 min

  This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes back Meghann Bjarnesen, co-owner of Besté Travel Design and Lead Mentor & Programs Manager for Gifted Travel Network's Travel Business University.After first joining the podcast as a successful travel business owner, Meghann returns with a new perspective as she steps into a leadership role focused on mentoring travel advisors. Together, Meredith and Meghann explore why mentorship is one of the most valuable investments advisors can make, and why building a successful travel business requires far more than learning how to book travel. They discuss the importance of business education, branding, community, and accountability, along with the common challenges advisors face as they grow their businesses.The conversation also touches on GTN's new Ascend program, designed to help experienced advisors strengthen the business side of their agencies and prepare for long-term success. Whether you're just getting started or looking to elevate an established business, this episode offers practical insights into the mindset, guidance, and support that help travel advisors build thriving, sustainable businesses. Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx- Meghann's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbmin️ Besté Travel Design: https://www.bestetravel.com/home

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  The Travel Business Unpacked

  Carol McKee on Building Successful Travel Groups Without the Headaches

  Jul 20, 202656 min

  This week on The Travel Business Unpacked, Meredith Calloway welcomes back Carol McKee of McKee Travel for a practical conversation about one of the biggest growth opportunities for travel advisors: group travel. From destination weddings and milestone celebrations to hosted tours and educational conferences, Carol shares the lessons she's learned after planning groups of all shapes and sizes, and why success starts long before you ever collect the first deposit.Together, Meredith and Carol discuss how to identify the right type of group for your network, why understanding the group leader is just as important as understanding the destination, and how to avoid common pitfalls that can derail even the best ideas. They also explore destination wedding logistics, choosing the right suppliers, setting clear expectations with clients, understanding financial responsibilities, and why advisors don't need to travel with every group they organize.Throughout the conversation, Carol emphasizes the importance of preparation: researching suppliers before opportunities arise, learning the policies that matter, and using slower seasons to build the knowledge that leads to future bookings. She also shares why not every group inquiry will become a booking—and how every experience, successful or not, becomes an opportunity to grow. Whether you're planning your first group or looking to expand an established business, this episode offers practical advice that will help you approach group travel with greater confidence and a stronger strategy. Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx- Carol's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeetravel️ Carol's Website: https://www.mckeetravel.com/

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  The Travel Business Unpacked

  Katina Athanasiou on Calibrating Your Life, Career, and Leadership

  Jul 13, 202649 min

  This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway welcomes Katina Athanasiou, Senior Vice President of Sales and Services at Celebrity Cruises, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, authenticity, and building a career that truly fulfills you. Katina's journey to executive leadership has been shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to continually evolve. Rather than chasing the idea of perfect work-life balance, she shares why she believes in "calibration" instead, adjusting to life's changing seasons while staying grounded in what matters most. Together, Meredith and Katina explore what it means to lead with empathy, embrace your authentic self, and recognize that every challenge is an opportunity for growth. They also discuss how adapting your leadership style to the people around you creates stronger relationships, why understanding how others communicate can transform the way you lead, and how finding work that genuinely excites you changes everything. Whether you're leading a team, serving clients, or building your own travel business, this conversation offers valuable perspective on creating meaningful success without sacrificing yourself along the way. If you've ever wondered how to become a stronger leader while staying true to who you are, this episode will leave you with a fresh perspective on leadership, personal growth, and building a business and life you genuinely love. - 📖 Free Chapter: https://tinyurl.com/GTN-freechapter 🎓 Travel Business University: https://tinyurl.com/yz462bhx - 🔗 Katina's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katinaathanasiou

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